~ Musings of a Bean Counter

Miss Momma Bean

In general I never got together with my maternal unit as often as Munkie does with his family. But usually when I did get together with her, it was usually for a meal – something which was just the two of us, stress free in that someone else did the cooking. I did speak to her a fair bit on the telephone, even though both of us lived in the same city. My Momma Bean is a sweet little Lithuanian lady with a very shy and soft voice. But she has a will of iron – this is the woman who would make surgeons cower when she wanted to be in Post-Op after my surgeries; it never bothered her that she wasn’t allowed in, cos dammit this was her Baby Bean and no one will keep her from me. So for most of my surgeries the first face I’d see in Post-Op, when I’d wake up, was my mother.

But lately this little strong willed woman has been getting frailer, so I worry about her. Doesn’t help that Lil’Bro isn’t much of a support – she still does all the food shopping even though he lives with her and has a car. She has to take a bus and drag the bags back with her. Atleast she’s bowed to suggestions for me to get a cleaning lady. And I do try to give her tax advice so she can minimize her tax burden. I can do that from afar so that’s a bit of a comfort for her.

This year will be my first Christmas without my Momma Bean. Last year I wasn’t home for Christmas either, but she and I had a little meal together at Pearson Airport before I flew out .. a quasi-christmas dinner. For my last few flights out she’s been accompanying me to the airport to wish me bon voyage. My Momma Bean is lonely, I know that.

I shall miss my Kucios with her. Kucios is a traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve Dinner. I’m used to a quiet Christmas where the big meal is on Christmas Eve and if we have the energy we may come over for Christmas Day for some tea & cakes. Now I have to gird myself in preparation for a Christmas that I am not accustomed to – Christmas Lunch, Boxing Day Lunch and whatever else is done in the UK. I also have to get used to the fact that except for a tiny skeleton crew most of the infrastructure in the UK will grind to a halt.